Evidences of organic evolution > Palaeontology

The preserved remains, impressions, or traces of ancient organisms found in Earth's crust, which provide evidence of past life and evolution, is called a fossil.

• Fossils are the preserved remains or impressions of organisms buried under the 
• Palaeontology is the study of ancient life using fossils, which are preserved remains of organisms found mainly in sedimentary rocks.
• Fossils provide direct and strong evidence for evolution and help in understanding the history of life on Earth.
• During fossilisation, older and more primitive organisms are found in lower layers, while more advanced forms occur in upper layers.
• Types of fossils include actual remains (e.g. mammoth in ice), moulds (impressions), casts (filled moulds), and compressions (carbon film outlines).
• Fossilisation occurs through processes like replacement and infiltration, where organic material is replaced or filled with minerals.
• Palaeontology helps in studying extinct organisms, reconstructing evolutionary history (phylogeny), and identifying connecting links between species.

Fossils are preserved remains or impressions of past organisms found mainly in sedimentary rocks, and their study is called palaeontology.